Prof. Fortson presents landlord/tenant overview to Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Justice faculty, was invited to present an overview of landlord/tenant law in Alaska to the attorneys and staff of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA).  He presented "All You Need to Know about Landlord/Tenant Law: Or at least a very good start" on April 25 in Anchorage.

Legal Studies faculty named influential persons by UAA first-year students

L to r: Prof. Brandeis, Prof. Periman,
and Prof. Fortson

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.; Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.; and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, have been named influential persons by first-year students at UAA.

The Division of Student Access, Advising & Transition (SAAT) within the Office of Student Affairs asked first year students who took the MAP-Works surveys during the 2013-2014 academic year to name "a faculty member who has assisted them the most in their academic success at UAA." Students named over 150 faculty members, including our Legal Studies faculty, as influential persons.
 
The SAAT and MAP-Works hosted their first annual faculty appreciation reception on April 25 for individuals named by students.

MAP(Making Achievement Possible)-Works is a student success and retention tool linking students with the individualized resources they need, when they need them. By taking just two surveys per semester, MAP-Works @ UAA can assist first and second year students in getting connected to useful resources on campus. 

Prof. Periman selected for 2014 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and Service

 
Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, has been selected for the 2014 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and Service.  The award will be presented at the 2014 UAA Faculty/Staff Convocation in the fall.

Prof. Periman

This award recognizes "outstanding contributions to the advancement of partnerships between the university and Alaska's communities."  Prof. Periman has long been involved in establishing partnerships with the legal community and the justice system in Alaska. 

Her work includes chairing the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education drafting sub-committee for the online Alaska Youth Law Guide; serving on the planning committee for and presenting at Color of Justice programs sponsored by the Alaska Court System, Alaska Bar Association, Pacific Northwest law schools, and the National Association of Women Judges to foster diversity in the judiciary and legal community; developing a partnership with Willamette University College of Law; serving as a community resource for pre-law planning and questions about law school admissions; serving on the Alaska Bar Association Historian's Committee; volunteering for law-related education events such as the We the People competition, Mock Trial, and the 2011 Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Conference Legal Clinic, and coordinating student service learning programs such as Wills Clinics at the Anchorage Senior Center and student volunteer assistance at the AFN legal clinic; and working with the Collateral Consequences Work Group on issues related to offender reentry.

There are two recipients for this annual award.  Also selected for 2014 is Prof. Arlene Schmuland, Head, Archives and Special Collections, UAA/APU Consortium Library.

Justice majors nominated for Victims for Justice award for UAA Says NO MORE campaign

Simona Gerdts and Kristen Speyerer, Justice majors/Legal Studies minors, have been nominated for a Victims for Justice award for their work initiating and coordinating the "UAA Says NO MORE"  campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault.

They were nominated for the Media Award category recognizing a person or organization contributing to awareness and understanding of victims in the media.  Winners in all 6 categories of awards - Role Model, Advocacy, James Gay Professionalism in the Line of Duty, Substantial Service to Victims, Phoenix Award, and Media Award - will be announced at the Victims for Justice annual awards banquet on Saturday, May 3 at the Dena'ina Center.

L to r: Kristen Speyerer and Simona Gerdts

The "UAA Says NO MORE" campaign is part of Simona and Kristen's degree capstone project with the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning (CCEL).  As part of the project, they worked to co-brand the "UAA Says NO MORE" campaign, which began the week of March 17 as a precursor to National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, with the "NO MORE" national campaign to increase greater awareness and action to end domestic violence and sexual assault. 

(Note: Don Megga of KFAT 92.9 won the award in the media category.)

Justice faculty serve as evaluators for the 2014 Student Showcase

Dr. Allan Barnes, Dr. Ron Everett, Dr. Troy Payne, and Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty, served as evaluators for the 30th Annual UAA 2014 Student Showcase Conference.

The UAA Student Showcase Conference highlights the extraordinary work of students throughout the UAA system.  Any best works created in Spring 2013 semester, Summer 2013 semester, Fall 2013 semester can be submitted.

Each year Student Showcase creates an opportunity for dialogue among university and community members. Students submit their best work; an anonymous review is done by a faculty member of the submission discipline; highest marks are presented at the Conference; and distinguished community members are invited to the Conference to evaluate, critique, and comment on students' works. Click here for list of Showcase winners.

Alaska Legal Services hosts fundraiser May 16 honoring Justice Center Professor Emerita Dr. Nancy Schafer

Alaska Legal Services is hosting a fundraiser honoring Justice Center Professor Emerita Dr. Nancy Schafer,  who died in September 2013.

What: Jammin' for Justice - Alaska Women Performing to Benefit Alaska Women
Date:  Friday, May 16, 2014
Time:  6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place:  Tap Root, 3300 Spenard Road
Cost:    $10 cover
Music by: Marian Call, Melissa Mitchell, and Hilary Morgan

The event will help fund free civil legal assistance for low-income and senior women.

Prof. Knudsen presents on Affordable Care Act to Clinical Laboratory Scientists of Alaska conference

Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, presented to the  Clinical Laboratory Scientists of Alaska (CLSA) Conference in Anchorage on April 25.  She  presented an overview of the Affordable Care Act and how it relates to other significant federal health insurance legislation: ERISA, HIPAA, HITECH. Some notable features of the Act, the legal theory behind the legislation, and past and present court challenges to the ACA were also outlined.

Prof. Knudsen teaches health law and is frequent lecturer on this topic.

CLSA is a member organization of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Their mission is to "make a positive impact in health care through leadership that will assure excellence in the practice of laboratory medicine."

Pre-Law Society students meet with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Peter Maassen

Students with Justice Peter Maassen in his chambers. L to r: Camilla Hussein-Scott, Aleta Bartimmo, Justice Peter Maassen,
Prof. Ryan Fortson, Anna Marquez, and Splendora Ulukivaiola.

 UAA Pre-Law Society students met with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Peter Maassen in his chambers on March 21. Justice Maassen described the workload of the court, gave an overview of case processing, and discussed the role of law clerks.  Students were able to see the Justice's chambers and tour the Alaska Supreme Court Room. Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., faculty advisor for the Pre-Law Society, accompanied the students.

Marilyn May, Clerk of the Appellate Courts, also met with the students and explained the administrative process in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.

Earlier in the day, the students had taken a tour of the Anchorage branch of the Alaska State Court Law Library,  one of 16 state branches. Buck Sterling, Public Services Librarian, outlined the services the library provides and the changes that are underway at the Anchorage facility.

Prof. Fortson and Justice major Simona Gerdts make presentation on NO MORE campaign to U.S. Army Alaska at JBER

Simona Gerdts (center) explains the goals of the "NO MORE" campaign
at UAA and the efforts she and Kristen Speyerer have been involved in.

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Justice faculty, and Simona Gerdts, Justice major/Legal Studies minor, made a presentation about "NO MORE at UAA" on April 11 to Col. Adam Lange, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), and other members of the USARAK Sexual Assault Review Board at JBER.

The "NO MORE at UAA" campaign, which began the week of March 17 as a precursor to National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, was co-branded with the "NO MORE" national campaign to increase greater awareness and action to end domestic violence and sexual assault. 

Prof. Ryan Fortson (center) presents data from the Alaska Victimization Survey.

The "NO MORE at UAA" campaign is part of a degree capstone project with the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning (CCEL). The UAA campaign was  initiated and coordinated by Simona Gerdts and Kristen Speyerer, Justice majors/Legal Studies minors, who will be graduating in May 2014.

The "NO MORE at UAA" campaign will continue its works as a student organization called the NO MORE Alliance.

Prof. Periman presents at CAFE faculty development appreciation award breakfast April 11

Standing l to r: Prof. Deb Periman and Prof. Brannon discuss the results of their course revisions.

 Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, and justice library liaison Prof. Page Brannon presented at the Center for Academic Excellence (CAFE) 6th Annual Faculty Development Appreciation Award Breakfast on April 11. The event highlighted the many faculty development initiatives taking place in the UAA system.

Provost "Bear" Baker (at podium) welcomes the group.

One of these initiatives is the Embedding Information Literacy into the Curriculum Program, a partnership with CAFE and the UAA/APU Consortium Library.  Mini-grants were awarded to faculty to assist them in embedding information literacy into a course. 

Prof. Periman was awarded a mini-grant and collaborated with justice library liaison Prof. Page Brannon, on revisions to the course "Legal Ethics and the Role of the Legal Paraprofessional."  They spoke to the group about the results of these revisions. The revisions included an emphasis on library-related student research and focused on allowing students to learn, reinforce, and master information literacy skills relevant to the course level.